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Little Steps
- Thread starter Dave2302
- Start date
That looks absolutely insane! Love itFiat 500, "The Mouse", everything including the spaceframe built by me in my workshop, widened all steel body kit done by me, and it was painted by an old mate in a Diamond White with red and green pearl as Red Green White was my business colours, (Auto gearbox Rebuilding).
BTW, the Boat (21ft Bowrider with custom interior and lotsa goodies) started life with a humble Mercruiser 5.0 V8 (small block Chevy) from new, that ended up with a huffed 502 ci big block in it and a Mercruiser offshore leg 'cos the original just exploded after a very short period of gunning it .
Like a lot of my toyz past and present GO LARGE
The Boat and the Fiat were both insane as are most of my builds. The Fiat like a lot of my project cars all started with some mate or other betting me something couldn't be done.
2 of them Fiat and the Cosworth Puma Rally car were not really practical for road use, I think the furthest I ever took the Fiat was around 50 miles round trip, because that was about all it would do on the 7 gallon fuel tank (couldn't fit anything bigger in) the battery was also in the back where the original 500cc Engine came out.
I saw the rusty shell at a mates garage, (the guy who did the paintwork), and joking I said I had a V8 Chevy 400ci motor that would go in it. John was a renowned Custom car builder painter, and bet me a fiver it couldn't be done, hands were shook, a nifty paid for the shell, and all the Glass, Lights, Bumpers etc that went with it. All running gear was scrapped. Anyways, I never did get the fiver, but when John saw the Chassis all built up as in the first pic of it above here, he agreed if I welded all the new panels together he would do the filler work and custom paint
I took the Car to Autotron (Rosmalen Netherlands) as I got invited to the show, and did a world famous burnout dubbed "The London Fog" in an American magazine.The car and the crowd dissapeared in the burnout smoke
The rally car was better to drive on Tarmac with road Tyres, but being a stripped out inside car, (pics later), it wa just so noisey and harsh ride with the stage rallying coil overs.
The boats and cars all had epic Dave stories, but i swear to ya's they are all true
I don't mind posting all this here if you guys are up for it.The London Fog burnout, new tyres annihilated in one 45 second burnout, pics in order from first crackin' 'em up to getting the trophy for winning the Burnout Comp at the end, and no, I don't have the pornstar 'tache now, i was mid 30's back then
The first 4 are grainy because they are photo's of the magazine article ....
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The Ford Puma, for those not in UK / EU was a small 2 door hatchback car Front Wheel Drive with a 4 cylinder 1.7 litre Engine at best, based upon the Ford Fiesta floorpan. Below is pix of the bog standard grocery getter, a Silver FordPuma 1.7 the day I picked it up from Glasgow....
This turned into yet another "bet" project, when I first moved up to the Highlands and had built my workshop.
I was talkin' with a local fella in the Isle of Skye Rally Club and saying how I had a 24V V6 Quad Cam Cosworth Engine and some other useful bits, and I planned on building it into a Ford Puma for stage rallying and making the car 4wd.
He bet me £100 note that it was no way possible.
The 24V Cosworth V6 started life as built for Formula 3 race cars by Brian Hart, who then sold out to Cosworth, hence the connection later with Ford who used it in the Scorpio. I had owned a Ford Scorpio 24V Cosworth Car from brand new, but after a couple of bad winters up here the then 8 year old car was in a sorry state, so I decided to break it up and use what I could, on my proposed build, which was the religiously maintained 50k mile Engine and Electronics and the rear IRS Subframe etc.
The Engine ....
So now I also salvage the rear end from the Cossie Scorpio as it has big disc brakes and same style IRS and Diff as a Ford Sierra 4x4.
Next step, buy the front subframe and shafts and hubs and steering rack, propshafts and a gazillion other bits from the old asthmatic 2.8 Cologne V6 Sierra XR 4x4. You see, the Cosworth 24V V6 was based upon the 2.9 litre cologne cylinder block, but custom heads etc etc etc, so therefore both engines shared the same sump bolt pattern, so the clever bit was to buy a 2.9 Sierra XR 4x4 Sump which houses the front Diff. The diff design is the same as a 2.0 4x4 4 cylinder Sierra, so now I buy a pair of ;lower ratio Diffs front and rear, 3.9:1 instead of 3.6:1 .......... Great for stage rallying.
Now that's enuf tech stuff needless to say the whole Puma Monocoque needed serious structural alterations to make all this lot fit, both front and rear, including cutting out bulkhead for a Transmission Tunnel, Front Inner Wings Chassis Mods to hold the Front 4x4 Subframe and same deal at the rear to mount the Scorpio Subframe. Custom ally Fuel tank, Sump and Tank Guards, Full FIA Spec roll Cage, Wiring, Electronics etc etc to run the V6 cosworth motor. 2 years at 24 / 7 / 365 to build it, here is just some of the hundreds of pics, sadly in no particular order ...................
So there we have it another mental build, everything except for the Ally Fuel tank was fabricated and built by me in my workshop here, the fuel tank was built by a local ally boat builder mate.
The car was an absolute animal on tarmac and gravel forest events, until the trouble years when Mel and I lost most of our 50's due to family illnesses and deaths, and the Rallying had to cease
In the end I got sick of looking at the car with weeds growing round it and sold it for a fraction of what it cost me to build, and I bought and built the R170 SLK into a refined driving V8 with supercar performanceso, then I had something that I could escape with, go for a drive and enjoy.
Thankfully, the family issues resolved themselves a couple of years back, and now we both got our lives back, still together, got married and despite everything we are very very happy again, albeit a bit less wild than 12 years ago
Hope you petrol heads enjoyed this, and now ya's also know a little more about me
This turned into yet another "bet" project, when I first moved up to the Highlands and had built my workshop.
I was talkin' with a local fella in the Isle of Skye Rally Club and saying how I had a 24V V6 Quad Cam Cosworth Engine and some other useful bits, and I planned on building it into a Ford Puma for stage rallying and making the car 4wd.
He bet me £100 note that it was no way possible.
The 24V Cosworth V6 started life as built for Formula 3 race cars by Brian Hart, who then sold out to Cosworth, hence the connection later with Ford who used it in the Scorpio. I had owned a Ford Scorpio 24V Cosworth Car from brand new, but after a couple of bad winters up here the then 8 year old car was in a sorry state, so I decided to break it up and use what I could, on my proposed build, which was the religiously maintained 50k mile Engine and Electronics and the rear IRS Subframe etc.
The Engine ....
So now I also salvage the rear end from the Cossie Scorpio as it has big disc brakes and same style IRS and Diff as a Ford Sierra 4x4.
Next step, buy the front subframe and shafts and hubs and steering rack, propshafts and a gazillion other bits from the old asthmatic 2.8 Cologne V6 Sierra XR 4x4. You see, the Cosworth 24V V6 was based upon the 2.9 litre cologne cylinder block, but custom heads etc etc etc, so therefore both engines shared the same sump bolt pattern, so the clever bit was to buy a 2.9 Sierra XR 4x4 Sump which houses the front Diff. The diff design is the same as a 2.0 4x4 4 cylinder Sierra, so now I buy a pair of ;lower ratio Diffs front and rear, 3.9:1 instead of 3.6:1 .......... Great for stage rallying.
Now that's enuf tech stuff needless to say the whole Puma Monocoque needed serious structural alterations to make all this lot fit, both front and rear, including cutting out bulkhead for a Transmission Tunnel, Front Inner Wings Chassis Mods to hold the Front 4x4 Subframe and same deal at the rear to mount the Scorpio Subframe. Custom ally Fuel tank, Sump and Tank Guards, Full FIA Spec roll Cage, Wiring, Electronics etc etc to run the V6 cosworth motor. 2 years at 24 / 7 / 365 to build it, here is just some of the hundreds of pics, sadly in no particular order ...................
So there we have it another mental build, everything except for the Ally Fuel tank was fabricated and built by me in my workshop here, the fuel tank was built by a local ally boat builder mate.
The car was an absolute animal on tarmac and gravel forest events, until the trouble years when Mel and I lost most of our 50's due to family illnesses and deaths, and the Rallying had to cease
In the end I got sick of looking at the car with weeds growing round it and sold it for a fraction of what it cost me to build, and I bought and built the R170 SLK into a refined driving V8 with supercar performanceso, then I had something that I could escape with, go for a drive and enjoy.
Thankfully, the family issues resolved themselves a couple of years back, and now we both got our lives back, still together, got married and despite everything we are very very happy again, albeit a bit less wild than 12 years ago
Hope you petrol heads enjoyed this, and now ya's also know a little more about me
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- 4/3/06
- 14,399
- 13,690
- 113
Thanks Greg, sadly the old croft has gone to rack and ruin a bit due to the lost years, and I'm getting too arthritic nowadays to do all we wanted to do, but gradually going round painting stuff and trying to get the wilderness under control, I have some new helpers chomping away, and a local builder is helping out when he can, so i doubt I'll be doing any more Car builds now, hence I got back into the Watches as it's a more sedate hobby for an old bastard
I ordered a Jubilee Bracelet a while ago for my Daytona, kind of a lazy day today, so I decided, off with the Oyster and put the Jubilee on the watch.
It's a decent quality, but generic one, so a small bit of re-engineering was done so I could fit the original Clasp.
So I've now got a complete un logo'd Oyster Bracelet that con go on a wee Homage watch I've got and get rid of the horrible bit of tin that it came with
It's a decent quality, but generic one, so a small bit of re-engineering was done so I could fit the original Clasp.
So I've now got a complete un logo'd Oyster Bracelet that con go on a wee Homage watch I've got and get rid of the horrible bit of tin that it came with
Great Dave! I don't write comments but I continue to follow your diary with pleasure!I ordered a Jubilee Bracelet a while ago for my Daytona, kind of a lazy day today, so I decided, off with the Oyster and put the Jubilee on the watch.
It's a decent quality, but generic one, so a small bit of re-engineering was done so I could fit the original Clasp.
So I've now got a complete un logo'd Oyster Bracelet that con go on a wee Homage watch I've got and get rid of the horrible bit of tin that it came with
I will have more to dedicate to the forum..
So with this post you've made me want to put my 116520 on my wrist... very nice with the Jubilee!
Did Phillip approve the changing from oyster to the jubilee. We don't need that crazy bastard coming out of the woodwork and go on a rant lol.I ordered a Jubilee Bracelet a while ago for my Daytona, kind of a lazy day today, so I decided, off with the Oyster and put the Jubilee on the watch.
It's a decent quality, but generic one, so a small bit of re-engineering was done so I could fit the original Clasp.
So I've now got a complete un logo'd Oyster Bracelet that con go on a wee Homage watch I've got and get rid of the horrible bit of tin that it came with
Then again he probably doesn't even remember selling it.
Yeah don't him to come out the woodwork! Looks great though, wear in good healthI ordered a Jubilee Bracelet a while ago for my Daytona, kind of a lazy day today, so I decided, off with the Oyster and put the Jubilee on the watch.
It's a decent quality, but generic one, so a small bit of re-engineering was done so I could fit the original Clasp.
So I've now got a complete un logo'd Oyster Bracelet that con go on a wee Homage watch I've got and get rid of the horrible bit of tin that it came with
He didn't approve the fitting of a proper hand set either, (Red centre second and subdial hands), Phil can fuck off lol, it's mine now and I'll do wtf I like with it, whilst it was at the watchmaker it also got a fuckin' good clean and polish, it's a totally different watch now, and all up it owes me £140 purchase, £30 hand set, £45 bracelet and watchmaker inc post £50 so I spent £265 for a nice old style Daytona, yeah I'm happy and we got some excellent entertainment in that epic threadback then Thanks y'all for the comments
2 more purchasements are inbound, probably be about end of March / early April ....
Trouble is I have 9 stands per shelf, and now I actually own 11 Rolexes, (Rollii), 5 are yet to arrive so there will have to be more purchased to fill up another shelf, or do shareseys with the Omegas
More watch stands bought as well, will need a few more then I'll have 9 on each shelf
I've had 2 other designs, which were most unsatisfactory, I sent one batch back on arrival and got refunded, the others were cheep cheep, so I used them until I decided not to be a cheapskate Mo-Fo and bit the bullet for the more expensive ones, which, like Heinz Beans, and Ronseal Paint, they do "exactly what it says on the tin", well actually, Heinz Beans never said on the tin that I'd keep farting
Below is a pixel of the top shelf with 9 of the new stands, my new Black SS Sub is currently AWOL, it's on my wrist, and the el cheapo "first RWI buy" Black Sub is currently deceased and in a few million bits in the workshop. It's demise was entirely my own fault, lets just say operator error
I'm debating whether to buy a new Mvt or just break it up for spares.
Currently all watches on the 5 shelves are on the new stands.
There are 11 more stands incoming, and will need another 9 to make the total of 45.
Y'all can see some of the el cheapo EBay shite stands and as each batch of new ones comes in these are getting binned.
Cue the music, BBS
Trouble is I have 9 stands per shelf, and now I actually own 11 Rolexes, (Rollii), 5 are yet to arrive so there will have to be more purchased to fill up another shelf, or do shareseys with the Omegas
More watch stands bought as well, will need a few more then I'll have 9 on each shelf
I've had 2 other designs, which were most unsatisfactory, I sent one batch back on arrival and got refunded, the others were cheep cheep, so I used them until I decided not to be a cheapskate Mo-Fo and bit the bullet for the more expensive ones, which, like Heinz Beans, and Ronseal Paint, they do "exactly what it says on the tin", well actually, Heinz Beans never said on the tin that I'd keep farting
Below is a pixel of the top shelf with 9 of the new stands, my new Black SS Sub is currently AWOL, it's on my wrist, and the el cheapo "first RWI buy" Black Sub is currently deceased and in a few million bits in the workshop. It's demise was entirely my own fault, lets just say operator error
I'm debating whether to buy a new Mvt or just break it up for spares.
Currently all watches on the 5 shelves are on the new stands.
There are 11 more stands incoming, and will need another 9 to make the total of 45.
Y'all can see some of the el cheapo EBay shite stands and as each batch of new ones comes in these are getting binned.
Cue the music, BBS
Last edited:
- 4/3/06
- 14,399
- 13,690
- 113
@Dave2302 , you got the sickness! Fully infected! lol
I have a fairly easy system .............
I always wear Black Sub to work, so every evening I just go along the shelves to the next in order and wear it until morning.
When I reach bottom shelf end then I start back to the top shelf.
As I add watches, so the "rotation" gets longer days wise.
When we go out for a day, I don't wear the Black SS Sub, I just take the next in line.
I have a 6 watch case for when we go away in UK, if we go abroad I only take 2 watches
Oh definitely Greg, 100% buddy, been the same with all my hobbies over the years
Two watches abroad, very controlled of you! HahaI have a fairly easy system .............
I always wear Black Sub to work, so every evening I just go along the shelves to the next in order and wear it until morning.
When I reach bottom shelf end then I start back to the top shelf.
As I add watches, so the "rotation" gets longer days wise.
When we go out for a day, I don't wear the Black SS Sub, I just take the next in line.
I have a 6 watch case for when we go away in UK, if we go abroad I only take 2 watches
Oh definitely Greg, 100% buddy, been the same with all my hobbies over the years
Update, lets get the shit outta the way first .........
Rolex Deepsea Challenge is still "processing", getting a bit pissed off now, at the point of purchase it was scheduled for a March 17th 2024 max delivery, then it changed to April 18th 2024, tracking always showing un-available, and just 2 days ago it is now showing 19th May 2024
I was just about to go all "dispute" and get a refund then buy from A.N. Other, but I decided to do some due diligence regarding whether the other sellers still had any and they don't
So I decided to leave it be until May, and low and behold this mornings check in reveals that tracking is now showing, albeit awaiting collection from seller, so I will give it a while and see if it actually moves.
I certainly won't buy from the Deepsea Challenge Seller again, I am pretty patient but deffo a piss taker. Hinsight suggests I should have gone with a different seller.
Happier updates are that from a different 2 sellers all of the other 4 Rollii purchases outstanding, that were made 13th and 19th March (Green Sub, Red Sub, Pepsi Meteorite GMT 2 and the White Dial Explorer 2) are in dispatch and 3 are on the plane to UK today
Also ordered more watch stands are now dispatched, so will now have a full 9 of these per shelf = 45 total spaces in the current Cabinet, which will be over half full once the 4 recent purchases arrive ....
And finally I decided to buy a new Miyota 8215 Movement to replace the knackered A2813 for my first cheapie Black Sub, bought way back at the start of this thread ....
Chow fer tha noo
Rolex Deepsea Challenge is still "processing", getting a bit pissed off now, at the point of purchase it was scheduled for a March 17th 2024 max delivery, then it changed to April 18th 2024, tracking always showing un-available, and just 2 days ago it is now showing 19th May 2024
I was just about to go all "dispute" and get a refund then buy from A.N. Other, but I decided to do some due diligence regarding whether the other sellers still had any and they don't
So I decided to leave it be until May, and low and behold this mornings check in reveals that tracking is now showing, albeit awaiting collection from seller, so I will give it a while and see if it actually moves.
I certainly won't buy from the Deepsea Challenge Seller again, I am pretty patient but deffo a piss taker. Hinsight suggests I should have gone with a different seller.
Happier updates are that from a different 2 sellers all of the other 4 Rollii purchases outstanding, that were made 13th and 19th March (Green Sub, Red Sub, Pepsi Meteorite GMT 2 and the White Dial Explorer 2) are in dispatch and 3 are on the plane to UK today
Also ordered more watch stands are now dispatched, so will now have a full 9 of these per shelf = 45 total spaces in the current Cabinet, which will be over half full once the 4 recent purchases arrive ....
And finally I decided to buy a new Miyota 8215 Movement to replace the knackered A2813 for my first cheapie Black Sub, bought way back at the start of this thread ....
Chow fer tha noo
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Some great news for me this evening, Tracking is at last showing that my Rolex Deepsea Challenge is now moving, it has left sellers gaff after some epic delay, and latest update shows it is about to get on the aircraft bound for UK Even taking the CNY into consideration it's pretty fuckin' slow this one as I ordered it on February 7th.
Of the 4 other Rollies, 2 Subs, GMT and Explorer, Green Sub will be arriving at my desk on Monday, GMT is on the plane, Explorer is en route to China Airport, so the only other slowcoach is the Red Sub, which is yet to leave the sellers building, but since it was only ordered 9 dayz ago it has a long way to go before it gets into Deepsea Challenge realms
The only reason I was bothered that I might not get the DSC is because I have a monky bet with a mate that I wouldn't wear it to the bash later this year, and unlike the other watches, these DSC's are not easy to get hold of now, or so it would seem from my fruitless efforts to find a plan B (different DSC seller) just in case I had to go all Refund Dispute on the initial purchase
Feelers put out this evening for a Rolex Oyster Perprtual Celebration, (Balloons Watch lol), hopefully will get the order in V soon, I foresee a bigger cabinet upon the horizon sooner rather than later !!
TBC soon, hopefully with some pixels starting Monday of new arrivals as they hatch
Even taking the CNY into consideration it's pretty fuckin' slow this one as I ordered it on February 7th.Of the 4 other Rollies, 2 Subs, GMT and Explorer, Green Sub will be arriving at my desk on Monday, GMT is on the plane, Explorer is en route to China Airport, so the only other slowcoach is the Red Sub, which is yet to leave the sellers building, but since it was only ordered 9 dayz ago it has a long way to go before it gets into Deepsea Challenge realms
The only reason I was bothered that I might not get the DSC is because I have a monky bet with a mate that I wouldn't wear it to the bash later this year, and unlike the other watches, these DSC's are not easy to get hold of now, or so it would seem from my fruitless efforts to find a plan B (different DSC seller) just in case I had to go all Refund Dispute on the initial purchase
Feelers put out this evening for a Rolex Oyster Perprtual Celebration, (Balloons Watch lol), hopefully will get the order in V soon, I foresee a bigger cabinet upon the horizon sooner rather than later !!
TBC soon, hopefully with some pixels starting Monday of new arrivals as they hatch
Well, a big surprise today, the 116610LV Sub arrived this morning, so far so good, looking at the case, (crown guards), this is a rep of a circa 6 year old around 2018 vintage, but I have no problem with it, details are good, crown etch @6 on sapphire crystal
To be nit picky, the only thing is (as usual) at the price point it will need a bracelet upgrade, well mainly the clasp at any rate, I personally prefer the Glide Lock versions
I'm not dissing it, it is keeping good time as I now expect from a Miyota, also has the correct period lume too
Order has been placed for an Oyster Perpetual Celebration ....
Back soon
To be nit picky, the only thing is (as usual) at the price point it will need a bracelet upgrade, well mainly the clasp at any rate, I personally prefer the Glide Lock versions
I'm not dissing it, it is keeping good time as I now expect from a Miyota, also has the correct period lume too
Order has been placed for an Oyster Perpetual Celebration ....
Back soon
Today I went browsing and have procured 2 brushed stainless Oyster Bracelets allegedly with Crown and Logos, plus 3 off Glide Lock Clasps with poished centres and 3 off Glide Lock Clasps with brushed centres, so that wee lot should be about all I need for Clasp / Bracelet upgrade stock.
I've saved these sellers, and punted the dosh at it, if they are as good as the pictures suggest I will order a few more as they do Jubillees and 2 Tone's plus 2 Tone clasps as well
Oh, and I also ordered a Black Rubber with brushed finish Glide Lock Clasp, might put that on one of the 2 Black Subs I got
I've saved these sellers, and punted the dosh at it, if they are as good as the pictures suggest I will order a few more as they do Jubillees and 2 Tone's plus 2 Tone clasps as well
Oh, and I also ordered a Black Rubber with brushed finish Glide Lock Clasp, might put that on one of the 2 Black Subs I got